Once again the air thrummed as Bower reached out with the affinity he had with all dragons. His voice echoed in my head.
Use the ice against our enemy!
Ysix’s brood was the first to respond.
They caught the images Bower sent them with his thoughts and used his plan. Swooping down toward their enemy, they spun at the last moment and used the wind to power their turns as they slapped down the Iron Guards.
The air rang with the clang of metal and screeches of the dragons.
The Iron Guard, left slow by ice and cold, fell and skidded across the thickening ice on the ground. The Iron Guards could no longer find their mark with their harpoons in this storm, which was only growing worse.
We still had to reach Ysix, and I started to tell Bower that when a hard boom break the sky. A flash erupted from the king’s strange metal carts, and I saw they had cannons like on the king’s ships. Metal balls screamed through the air.
A dragon’s scream left me wincing, and I saw a black dragon falter and then plummet from the sky.
Magic tingled in my chest once again and flared from my hands.
Saffron-sister! Jaydra threw her mind toward mine, wrapping me in her awareness, trying to save me seemingly from even myself.
Another cannon boomed. I couldn’t stop myself. I threw out my hands, my anger and magic bursting out. Words I didn’t know flew out as well.
Wood cracked and splintered and one of the carts jerked into the air and collapsed.
“My magic worked,” I gasped, staring at my hands. I’d done something—something intentional for once.
“Do that again,” Bower shouted.
I did, striking out as the storm raged around us. Both Enric’s army and the dragons were caught in the icy gale, but the storm seemed to seek out those on the ground. The winds seemed fiercer far below, and the king’s troops had not come prepared for winter.
With a flash, flames erupted across the sky. The red dragons burst through the dark clouds like vengeance on wings. Lightning crackling along their shoulders. The flicker of electricity made the den mother snarl and roar as she unleashed her fire on the king’s soldiers.
And then even more dragons flew out of the clouds.
Bower had not just called a few dragons—he seemed to have called all.
I had never thought I would see the likes of what I saw now.
Flashes of light illuminated storm clouds and floods of dragons falling on the soldiers below. Horses reared and bolted into the forest, bucking and sending their riders flying. Dragons knocked down the Iron Guard with their tails or snatched up any man who tried to stand before them.
And everywhere, the sounds of screaming and shouting and dragon roars echoed.
“Free those chained,” Bower shouted, using both his voice and his connection to the dragons.
The other dragon riders and their dragons fell like hunting packs of wolves on the frozen statues of the Iron Guards. Two of the Iron Guard shattered when the dragons hit them.
But where had Enric gone?
Jaydra swooped low over a mound of snow and ice, with two Iron Guards frozen in place and still holding the frozen chains that attached to a harpoon. I forgot about Enric and thought to Jaydra, Is that Ysix?
An idea hit me—could I free Ysix with my magic, but I did not want to risk hurting her. I had controlled my magic once, but I might not again. So I asked Jaydra to call up her flames.
Jaydra will try. She growled, landing on the ground and rearing up.
“What is she doing?” Bower yelled.
Jaydra arched her back and her neck.
“Her fire. Not all dragons can summon it, and not all the flames are strong enough.” I put both hands on the side of her neck to feel the powerful bellows and muscles there starting to pump.
You can do this, Jaydra. Den-sister, fire-starter, mighty hunter, show them what you are. What you were always meant to be!
A haunting whine rose from within Jaydra, growing fast into a roar. She spread her jaws wide and a whoosh of flame brushed over the mound of ice. Jaydra’s fire wasn’t as molten orange as Ysix’s, but the flames hit the snow, turning it into steam and water.
For a moment, I could see nothing because of the clouds of steam and the smoke from Jaydra’s flame.
But then Jaydra gave a trill and I shouted, “Ysix, answer us!”
A bolt of molten orange flame lit the scene and Ysix roared into the sky, shaking off metal chains and ice. She seemed in far too much pain to answer but flew up, screeched for all dragons to get out of her way.
Glancing around, I saw we had freed all the dragons. It was time to fly northwards and to safety.
Enric’s voice rose up, soaring above the wind that beat at us. “Traitors! Thieves!”
His power struck me the next instant.
Enric emerged from the stormy battlefield with a half dozen of his knights. His horse I realized was not a real animal but a mechanical beast. Enric’s hand glowed with a horrible, sickly purple hue as he spread his magic in front of him. I swayed and caught at Jaydra’s spines so I would not fall. Pain struck me as if Enric had plunged a sword into my chest.
With a rumble, Jaydra tried to launch herself into the air, but she only hopped on the ground.
I felt as if I was being wrapped in a thousand burning chains.
Enric pulled his mechanical horse to a halt. “Kneel! Kneel before your king!”
Another wave of pain ripped through me. Jaydra gave a gasp and collapsed to the ground, her legs buckling.
I had escaped from Enric before, but only with Bower’s help.
“Bower…need you,” I gasped, wondering if my bones were going to fracture. Turning, I grabbed Bower’s shaking hand.
We had to combine what was left of our ebbing strength.
“You seek to bring these monsters to my capital? Return them to my kingdom?” Lightning sizzled, flashing white, and for a moment I saw Enric’s real face. The illusion of him being young and darkly handsome faded. I saw him as he was, ancient and more skeleton than man. His head bald, his skin wrinkled and sagging, his body thin and hunched. How long had he been using his powers to extend his life? For decades or for many generations?
He slashed his fist in front of him. “Dragons demean us. They befoul human nature. They are nothing more than vermin upon the land.”
Rage sparked within Bower. It spread to me, igniting my magic.
From behind me, Bower’s voice rose up, strong and clear. “Dragons do not demean us—they remind us of what we can be. And you are no fit king, Enric Maddox. You will fall, I promise!”
I lifted my hand, but my magic seemed only a pale glow—I had used too much of it. I had saved nothing.
Through Bower, I could sense the other dragons fleeing. With Ysix freed, her brood rose above the storm and sped away, the mountain dragons going with her. Bower sent the red dragons as well, and released the others. I knew he was here, buying them time to get away.
We couldn’t defeat the king—I was too tired and had spent too much of my power summoning this storm and blasting the king’s cannons.
I could see that Enric sensed I was weakening, for his power glowed darker. He stretched out his hand. Pain enveloped me.
A screech cut through the agony lashing me. With a sudden flash, the pain evaporated.
In front of me Ryland and his black dragon now tangled with Enric. The king’s knights had scattered, their horses giving terrified whinnies and bolting into the storm. Ryland’s dragon took to the sky again, waved away by Ryland.
Bloodied and bare-chested, lifting his sword he shouted, “Fly. Now. Go. The True King must live.”
Enric still on his metal horse, but with it fallen and frozen and pinning him to the ground, lifted a glowing fist. Ryland’s sword shattered.
“Ryland,” I shouted, but Jaydra launched herself into the air.
The last I saw of Ryland was him facing Enric, a knife in Ryland’s hand and Enric’s magic, dark a
nd fierce.
And then we flew into freezing clouds and at last reached above them to the warmth of the sun again.
Epilogue
A Bitter Victory
“Saffron?” I didn’t want to wake her, but she had slept for hours now.
It had taken a long flight to reach the caverns where the Three-Rivers clan had taken refuge. The Crimson Red dragons led the way. The clan, instead of mourning the loss of Ryland, planned to celebrate his heroic death—a war chief, it seemed, could ask for no better end to his days.
It was cold this deep in the mountains, and the wind was biting and fierce, but it was a natural cold, one that came from Saffron’s magic. The caverns smelled of minerals in the rock and even the dragons liked them.
I had glanced back once at the magical blizzard Saffron had called up. I couldn’t tell if it was growing larger or fading. I didn’t know enough about weather or enough about magic to tell. I did know Saffron felt bad about having called it up, even unknowingly.
She had asked once on our flight if I thought the storm she had created would spread across the Middle Kingdom without end.
For a moment, I had reached my mind toward it as if it was just another dragon. Nothing happened. Storms were not dragons, and so perhaps they could not be spoken to.
Now, Saffron opened her eyes and stared up at me. I touched her shoulder. “Are you well? You’ve slept for more than a day.”
“I think so,” she said, her voice so soft I had to strain to hear it.
Liar. Jaydra’s thoughts contradicted Saffron’s words. Since I had spoken to all dragons, I seemed to be having an easier time talking to Jaydra.
Sitting down on the floor next to Saffron, I leaned my back against the smooth cavern wall. “You know, I think these are dragon caves. They’re a lot like the caves back on Den Mountain.”
That, at least, had Saffron sitting up and looking around.
Jaydra’s thoughts suddenly filled my mind, but I knew she was hiding the words from Saffron. Maddox magic. Saffron has no control—it is controlling Saffron. When Saffron calls it, it comes between Saffron and Jaydra.
I realized with a falling heart that Jaydra was right.
Saffron really did need to learn to control not just her magic, but herself. She would be a danger to everyone until then. But how could I help her with that?
“We made it out,” I told Saffron. “That has to count for something. And…and while there was time when you seemed to give yourself over to the magic completely, you did that out of love. To protect us all. You also managed some control—you can learn more.”
Saffron put a hand on the smooth wall and trailed her fingers over it. “How many came back?”
I let out a long breath. “It’s a tattered band of dragons and their riders. We lost three riders. Two dragons. Ryland—”
“Gave his life to save the True King. Do you finally believe you are that, Bower?”
I stood again and put my shoulders back. “To do anything less would be an insult to Ryland—it would diminish his deeds. The Three-Rivers clan plans to sing of his great exploits tonight. I think we should be there.”
I held out my hand to Saffron.
We had already paid a heavy price for our escape. But we had learned a few things about Enric’s weaknesses. And about our own.
And now I had to start thinking of myself as a king—and stop doubting myself. If there was one thing I’d learned from that battle—and from dragons—it was that a king must inspire those who follow him. Saffron needed me just now. And someday soon I knew I would have need of her powers—powers under control.
She glanced at my hand, at my face, and a small smile quirked her mouth. “King Bower—kind of sounds good, doesn’t it?”
End of ‘Dragons of Kings’
Book 2 of the Upon Dragon’s Breath Trilogy
Upon Dragon’s Breath Trilogy
Book 1 : Dragons of Wild
Book 2 : Dragons of Kings
Book 3 : Dragons of Dark
Book 3 released 22nd February 2017
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Dragons of Kings (Upon Dragon's Breath Trilogy Book 2) Page 21
